This is the second consecutive year a Vietnamese artists received such an award.

This represents the second consecutive year Vietnamese comics were honored in the award after a silver went to a work of historical fiction in 2015.

The cover of "Gateway to Underground". Photo courtesy of the comic site Comicola

“Gateway to Underground” by Can Tieu Hy, tells the story of a girl who unexpectedly dies and must escape from the underworld. During her long odyssey back to the world of the living, she comes to understand the significance of her relationships.

In February 2017, Can Tieu Hy will travel to Japan to collect her prize.

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the first International Manga Awards in 2007 to honor authors who have contributed to the development of the genre around the world.

This year, 14 artists received annual awards out of a pool of 296 submissions. The gold prize was awarded to a French author while three silvers went to graphic novelists in China, Italy and Vietnam.